Daisuke Matsuzaka

It has been almost one month since the Red Sox were awarded the winning bid on this Japanese right-hander. They put an astounding $51.1 million on the table just to have exclusive negotiating rights for one month. After that one month there are conflicting reports as to what may happen. Some believe that he will go back to Japan for one year, some believe for two years. Some believe that the team with the second highest bid will now have exclusive negotiating rights (see below). All I know is that this is a messy situation that could have not gone worse for the Red Sox or Matsuzaka.

I believe that the player agent (Scott Boras) and the Red Sox are both at fault with these negotiations. All indications are that since receiving the winning bid, the Sox have tried every which way to not pay a top dollar contract. There have been reports of them trying to lower their bid after winning by such a large margin, or gaining some sort of help from a Japanese team in some wacky marketing agreement. At this point though it is up to them to sign him to a contract, and the word is they want to pay him around $8-9 million a year. I do not care what they paid in a posting fee and that this pitcher is not a proven MLB commodity, but that is absurd. With Gil Meche getting $11 million a year for five years, Matsuzaka deserves more.

In the same respect thought Scott Boras has appeared more rigid on this negotiations than normal, which is saying something. He has come out and said that Matsuzaka deserves a five or six year deal worth about $100 million. I am sorry, but I am not making this guy only the third pitcher in the history of baseball to receive a $100 contract. I feel that the market has dictated a lot this offseason, but the posting fee should not be ignored in negotiations.

Barry Zito will get a contract either close to or over $100 million. While he is not good enough to deserve it, the market is so crazy right now he will get it. Matsuzaka could get a contract around $80. The posting fee is an additional, but expensive, expense and Matsuzaka has never made one major league pitch. A couple seasons ago he would have only received $50 or so, but the market right now is out of control. So many teams are spending, and doing it heavily on pitching. As far as the Sox/Boras debate, I think they are both at fault. If you are going to bid over $50 million on a guy, you better not try to low ball him on the contract. After all the bid is not being paid to him, but to Japanese baseball. Boras though is puting himself in the spotlight and not puting the best interests of his client. He is solely concerned with the money and not having his client in a MLB uniform for the 2006 season. I think the deadline will come and go without an agreement. I did not think this two weeks ago, but both sides have proven very stubborn in negotiations in the past (Red Sox with Pedro, Damon and Boras with AROD, Millwood, others...). This whole situation though is a joke and the Japanese baseball officials and MLB need to fix this bogus blind bidding process.

• The Sons Of Sam Horn Wiki, which is one of the most well respected Red Sox websites around, even frequented by the Red Sox owner as well as Curt Schilling, has a copy of the rules and procedures of the Japanese Player contract agreement.The interesting part of the agreement is the paragraph below, which is section 13... (13) The U.S. Commissioner shall have the authority to oversee the bidding procedures set forth in paragraphs (8) through (12) above to ensure that they not been undermined in any manner. Among other actions that he may deem appropriate and in the best interests of baseball, the U.S. Commissioner shall have the authority to revoke a U.S. Major League Club's exclusive negotiation rights with respect to a Japanese Player (and, subject to the Japanese Club's approval pursuant to paragraph (11) above, to award such rights to the next highest bidder, if any) and to declare null and void any contract between a Japanese Player and a U.S major League Club that the U.S. Commissioner deems was the result of conduct that was inconsistent with this Agreement or otherwise not in the best interests of professional baseball. Very interesting. So if the Red Sox were to fail to come to an agreement with Matsuzaka, which seems very likely at this time according to
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  ESPN, the commissioner would have it in his power to award the rights to negotiate with him to the Mets, who were the next highest bidder. Stay tuned folks, this might get interesting.Keep in mind a wiki can be edited by anyone, and we would like to confirm with another source if this is truly the correct language of the agreement.
• Not sure if this is accurate, but if so the Mets wold be next in line and Omar would treat this much better than the Boston clowns have.
• Speaking of the Sox, I still feel that front office is fractured between Lucciano and Theo. I would be worried if I were a Sox fan. One of those guys needs to go, hopefully Lucciano...
• James Dolan spoke yesterday. When he apologized for hiring Larry Brown did anyone else wish he apologized for owning the team and not selling them? He is a joke, as is the team. I don't see how anyone can take him even relatively seriously.
• Marcus Giles is a free agent. I hope the Mets sign him to a one or two year deal. He would be perfect for them. He gets on base, is good defensively at second and is a very hard nosed player. In addition, as a righty, he would compliment Valentin who is a much better hitter from the left side. Giles is injury prine and Valentin is older, so it would be a good thing to support each of them.
• The latest report on Matsuzaka is the Red Sox are offering $8 million a year and Boras is looking for $11 million a year over six years.
• http://www.miraclefoundation.org/ Buy a gift for an orphan in India or you can by one in someone elses name as their own present.

STKAFI